SME Policy Index: Eastern Partner Countries 2012
Progress in the Implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe
This ssessment of SME policy frameworks in eastern partnership countries helps support SME policy development in the eastern partnership countries through identification of strong and weak points in SME policy elaboration and implementation.
Entrepreneurial learning and women's entrepreneurship (Dimension 1)
Create an environment in which entrepreneurs and family businesses can thrive and entrepreneurship is rewarded (Small Business Act Principle 1)
Promoting entrepreneurship across all levels of the learning system is an important driver for the economy and a critical building block for a more flexible workforce. Nevertheless, partnership building is required to ensure coherence in the sequence of entrepreneurship promotion across the learning system. Entrepreneurship as a key competence also requires particular attention in terms of curriculum and teacher training. The lifelong entrepreneurial learning agenda is relatively new and the identification and exchange of good practice should be encouraged. This will require more developed networks involving education and training providers both within the national education system and among those providing more general services. A support system for good-practice sharing in all countries is recommended. The assessment also focused on women’s entrepreneurship where policy support is evolving. More developed advocacy networks will be important to ensure that women’s entrepreneurship is factored into the competitiveness drive in each country.